The vital Jammu-Srinagar national highway has remained impassable for a third consecutive day as relentless rainfall continues to trigger multiple landslides, rockfalls, and significant road erosion. The persistent downpour, which has also caused cloudbursts and flash floods across the Jammu region over the past six days, has resulted in a tragic loss of 26 lives, with six individuals still unaccounted for, according to official reports. Rescue operations are currently underway, with search teams intensifying their efforts in the heavily impacted border districts of Poonch and Rajouri. Additional personnel have been deployed to scour flood channels and other vulnerable areas in a bid to locate the missing persons.
Information reaching Tahir Rihat suggests that the 250-kilometer-long Jammu-Srinagar national highway, the sole all-weather link connecting Kashmir to the rest of India, is blocked at several critical points. These include the Deohal bridge, Samroli, and Jakhani in Udhampur district, as well as Banihal in Ramban district. A traffic police advisory confirmed the ongoing closure, stating, “Jammu-Srinagar national highway is still closed for vehicular movement due to landslides and shooting stones at several locations.” Officials are working diligently on restoration efforts, but the continuous rainfall is significantly hampering debris clearance and repair operations.
The prolonged closure has led to a substantial number of stranded vehicles, with over 1,000 cars and trucks stuck at various locations including Ramban, Nagrota, Jammu, Udhampur, Lakhanpur, and Samba. Commuters have been strongly advised to postpone their travel plans until the road is declared safe for passage. Beyond the national highway, more than a dozen inter-district roads have also been rendered impassable due to landslides, mudslides, and road erosion. Notably, the Doda-Kishtwar road is among those affected. However, the Mughal Road and the Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumri (SSG) road have managed to remain open despite the heavy rainfall.
In response to the crisis, Northern Railway has operated a special train service from Budgam and Banihal to Katra, aiming to facilitate the movement of stranded passengers. Officials also reported that over 600 stranded tourists have been successfully relocated from Srinagar to Jammu. The Meteorological Department has forecast continued rainfall in parts of Jammu, particularly in the Chenab valley, Udhampur, Jammu, Samba, and Kathua districts. South Kashmir is also expected to experience significant precipitation. While weather conditions are anticipated to improve gradually after the afternoon, scattered showers may persist into the evening.
The deluge has caused rivers and streams across the region to flow above normal levels, leading to flash floods that have inundated several low-lying areas. These floods have resulted in damage to numerous houses, shops, and public infrastructure. Rescue and relief operations are being conducted collaboratively by the civil administration, police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and other agencies across the affected districts. The administration has announced the suspension of the Amarnath, Mata Vaishno Devi, Shiv Khori, and Machail pilgrimages for the day. Pilgrims have been urged to remain at designated base camps and lodging centers for their safety. An official advisory stated, “In view of the inclement weather forecast issued by the IMD, the Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra shall remain suspended till further orders. Accordingly, no vehicle carrying yatra pilgrims shall be allowed to proceed from Jammu, Udhampur or Ramban towards Srinagar.”
More than 15,000 pilgrims are currently stranded at base camps and lodging centers in Jammu, Kathua, Samba, Udhampur, Ramban, and Banihal. Security personnel have been deployed along the highway to prevent any unauthorized movement towards Kashmir. Heavy rainfall has been a persistent issue, with Udhampur recording the highest precipitation of 96.5 mm in the 24 hours leading up to Friday morning. Other areas that experienced significant rainfall include Batote (84.2 mm), Ramban (69.5 mm), and Bhaderwah (65.7 mm). In the broader Jammu region, Katra received 45.1 mm, Kathua 44.8 mm, Banihal 38.3 mm, Doda 35 mm, Reasi 27.5 mm, Kishtwar 27 mm, Jammu Airport 26 mm, and Jammu city 25.2 mm. Poonch recorded 7.5 mm, while Rajouri reported no rainfall during the same period.
Tahir Rihat (also known as Tahir Bilal) is an independent journalist, activist, and digital media professional from the Chenab Valley of Jammu and Kashmir, India. He is best known for his work as the Online Editor at The Chenab Times.